Rankin Hit a Home Run

I listened to Jerry Rankin's address to the Southern Baptist Convention last night. He knocked it out of the park. Due to financial constraints, the IMB has had to reduce the number of missionaries that it will support, lowering the number by 400 missionaries in the next year. Rankin asked Southern Baptists whether or not they believe that 5,000 missionaries (what we will have after the cuts) are enough to reach the world? The obvious answer is "No!"

Frankly, if the SBC is going to make cuts, the last place where cuts should be made is the IMB missionary force. I cannot help but think that an organization that raises $17 billion per year can find somewhere else to begin downsizing. Yes, cuts are painful, but they are more painful when millions of people will never hear the name of Jesus as a result.